"Whenever I take him outside strangers will ask me 'what is that?' and sometimes even say that he's ugly.

"It's horrible because he's so lovely and just wants to cuddle, everyone who meets him says he's just like a puppy."

Despite people openly telling Ms Spencer her cat was unattractive, sphinx cats are actually in high demand in Australia.

Sphinx cats are in high demand. Picture Glenn Hampson

"I was on a waiting list for eight months to get Austin," Ms Spencer said.

"It was really hard to get hold of him, my breeder interviewed me to make sure I had an appropriate lifestyle to look after a sphinx

"I managed to jump the queue and get Austin a few months early ... the breeder wanted to enter him in the national competition for 'best cat' but I took him home and they used Austin's brother instead.